Neil Patrick Harris bought a Harlem townhouse for $3.6 million in 2013; nine years later, the home with a secret office sold for nearly $7 million

Neil Patrick Harris and his husband, actor and chef David Burtka, sold their historic Harlem townhouse for $6.99 million in August 2022. The property at 2036 Fifth Avenue had been purchased by the couple for close to $3.6 million in 2013. The sale was reported as nearly $7 million and, in some reports, around $7.1 million. It also set a record for the Harlem neighborhood at the time. The sale gave the couple a large return on their original purchase.

The townhouse had five floors and covered about 8,000 square feet area. It also had more than 2,000 square feet of outdoor space. The 20-foot-wide brownstone was built in 1908 in the Italianate style.

A Harlem townhouse bought for $3.6 million

Harris and Burtka bought the property in 2013 for about $3.6 million. The townhouse later returned to the market with an asking price of $7.3 million. The five-story home boasts of moldings, millwork, high ceilings, three fireplaces and a restored wood staircase.

The property was renovated by New York architect Jeffery Povero and Los Angeles designer Trace Lehnhoff. The home became known for several features that were not common in a standard townhouse.

Neil Patrick Harris townhouse had a secret office

One of the most discussed features was a hidden office on the top floor. The office could be accessed with the help of a secret door. The door could be opened by pressing a specific spot on a vintage magic poster. This created a hidden entrance to the office.

The property also included a magic-themed den and a collection of art and memorabilia. The townhouse had other rooms designed for entertainment and everyday use. These included a formal dining room, library and music room. There was also a vintage parlor-floor hotel bar.

Home included theater, kitchen and wine cellar

The property included a chef's kitchen that was also connected to Burtka's work as a chef. The kitchen played a role in his cookbook, Life is a Party. The house also had a nine- to 10-seat home theater. A wine cellar was another feature in the property. A gym was included in the home, along with the roof deck. The outdoor area had more space to hold gatherings. The roof deck included an outdoor grill and a dining table that could seat eight people under a wood pergola. A Jacuzzi was also located on the roof.

Why the couple sold the Harlem brownstone?

The couple wanted to spend more time at their home in East Hampton, New York. Harris and Burtka had used the Harlem property as a home for themselves and their fraternal twins, Gideon and Harper. The townhouse had been a place where the family spent time together. The couple had been spending more time in the Hamptons during the pandemic. Sources said this led them to decide to sell their city home.

From Uncoupled to real estate discussions

The property sale came around the same period that Harris appeared in Netflix's Uncoupled. In the series, he played a newly single real estate broker. The show also gave viewers a look at city properties, including a home at the Beresford on the Upper West Side.

Burtka also had a minor role in the Netflix series. The connection between the show and the couple's real estate story drew attention because Harris was playing a broker while his own Harlem home was being sold.

David Burtka spoke about dating after marriage

At the premiere of Uncoupled, Burtka spoke to Page Six about the dating world. Burtka and Harris have been married since 2014. He said he could not imagine returning to dating after being away from it for so long.

He also said they had missed the period when dating apps became part of how people meet. Burtka referred to Grindr and said he would not know how to navigate dating today. His comments came as Uncoupled focused on the experience of a man returning to dating after a long relationship.

The sale set a Harlem price record

The $6.99 million transaction was significant for Harlem real estate because it set a neighborhood record. The couple had paid about $3.6 million for the property in 2013. The later sale price was almost twice the original purchase price.

The property had first been listed for $7.3 million in August before eventually selling for $6.99 million. The difference between the asking price and final sale price was about $310,000.

Vickey and Pacey Barron of Compass were the listing brokers for the Harlem townhouse. The property was located at 2036 Fifth Avenue in Harlem. The $6.99 million transaction closed in August 2022. It followed the couple's 2013 purchase for close to $3.6 million.

For Harris and Burtka, the sale marked a move away from their Harlem home as they spent more time in East Hampton. For the Harlem market, it marked a record sale for the neighborhood at that time.